Lions boosted by Aussie injuries

The Lions received a double boost today when two key Wallabies were ruled out of Saturday's decisive Third Test here at Stadium Australia.

Outside-half Stephen Larkham, who was roughed up by the Lions in the first two Tests, has failed to recover from an arm injury and lock David Giffin damaged a ham-string in training. Elton Flatley replaces Larkham and Justin Harrison wins his first cap at lock alongside captain John Eales.

The changes to the Wallaby side that won 35-14 in Melbourne last weekend were a timely lift for the Lions as the tour management was dealing with the fifth member of their party to go into print with complaints about the tough regime.

Ireland lock Malcolm O'Kelly has joined Matt Dawson, Austin Healey, Gordon Bulloch and Dan Luger in attacking the methods employed by the coaching staff on this tour. He told an Irish newspaper: "From the time we first gathered together as a squad, we were all inspired by the thought that there were no preconceived ideas of what the Test team would be.

"Now, however, one can't help feeling that the Test team had been pencilled in from the very start. Instead of trying to promote their development and to let players flourish, the feedback we received, if any, felt negative and hostile.

"A lot of gifted players are going to go back home with less confidence than before they left for this supposed tour of a lifetime."

This latest attack is certain to lead to calls from within the four Home Unions - the body which runs Lions tours - to stop players contributing personal columns while a tour is in progress.

O'Kelly's column was not seen by the Lions media liaison officer before publication, thereby breaching the tour agreement. O'Kelly, like Dawson, is likely to be fined.

Lions manager Donal Lenihan wanted to block columns in the media and on internet sites but discovered there were legal problems. His tour report will urge future trips to do everything in their power to halt this practise.

He said: "There are legal implications and there were existing contracts which were declared before the tour. This is part of the modern era."

But Lenihan refused to comment on either the O'Kelly attack or the compensation claim by London Wasps against the Lions insurance company following Lawrence Dallaglio's knee surgery.

As revealed by Standard Sport yesterday, Wasps owner Chris Wright will be seeking a six-figure sum as Dallaglio will be out of action until April.

Wasps see Wallaby flanker Mark Connors as a possible replacement for Dallaglio next season.

The fallout from this tour, which has seen too many players (37) brought to Australia for too few games (10) will really be felt after Saturday's final Test. The play-ers will then be out of their Lions contracts and a number have already agreed to write books on the tour. There could be explosive opinions from non-Test players about coach Graham Henry and the regime he headed.

Meanwhile, the Wallabies have kept their players away from the Press, controlling what is released from their camp this week in a bid to ensure the Lions are not given any motivating comments.

The team announcement came by e-mail, with only sanitised quotes included in the team release.

Coach Rod Macqueen was disappointed to lose Larkham but said: "Elton Flatley's a great player, one for the future, and I think he'll do a good job."